Red Sea A sea that lies between Saudi Arabia and Africa. The Red Sea is part of the main shipping routes between Europe, the Persian Gulf and East Asia. - ppt download Download Presentation is loading. Please wait. Red Sea A sea that lies between Saudi Arabia and Africa. The Red Sea is part of the main shipping routes between Europe, the Persian Gulf and East Asia. Published by Russell Hutchinson Modified about 1 year ago Embed Similar presentations More Presentation on theme: "Red Sea A sea that lies between Saudi Arabia and Africa. The Red Sea is part of the main shipping routes between Europe, the Persian Gulf and East Asia."— Presentation transcript: 1 Red Sea A sea that lies between Saudi Arabia and Africa. The Red Sea is part of the main shipping routes between Europe, the Persian Gulf and East Asia. The Red Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world and cannot be used for drinking or irrigation. 2 Congo River The deepest and most powerful river in Africa. Used to generate hydro-electric power. Important for transportation and shipping goods in a land without railroads or good roads 3 Nile RiverThe longest river in the world. Provides the primary water resource for 10 African countries.

4 Niger River and DeltaThe principal river of West Africa. The Niger River is used for irrigation of crops and to generate hydro-electric power. The river’s resources are under pressure, because the water is used for so many things. 5 Lake Victoria Africa’s largest lake, located in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania Pollution is a problem on this lake, due to the dumping of raw sewage and industrial waste and the chemical run-off from fertilizers. 6 Sahara Desert The worlds hottest desert, located in North Africa. The Sahara the largest desert in Africa and is almost as large as the United States or China. 7 Kalahari Desert A large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa that covers much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa. This desert supports many more plants and animals than a true desert, but the summer temperatures are very high. 8 Drakensberg MountainsThe highest mountains in southern Africa. These mountains have the largest collection of bushman cave paintings in the world. 9 Mount Kilimanjaro The highest free-standing mountain in the world. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania. This mountain is a dormant volcano.

10 Great Rift Valley The continuous geographic trench that runs from northern Syria to central Mozambique in South East Africa The trench or valley contains some active volcanoes and contains a series of lakes. 11 Sahel The zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudan’s Savannas in the south. The Sahel has a semi-arid climate. It was once home to large numbers of grazing mammals, but over-farming and over-grazing has caused serious desertification to this region. 12 Savanna A grassland ecosystem that has grasslands and widely spaced trees. The African Savannas are home to a large number of animals and plants. The Savannas are threatened by cattle grazing and poaching. 13 PlateauA high flat plain The East African Plateau and the South African Plateau are the two primary plateaus of Africa. Much of the continent is made up of raised mostly level areas of land that drop off sharply near the sea. 14 Desertification A type of land destruction in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as plants and animals Desertification is caused by draught, over- farming or grazing and changes in the climate.

15 Kenya A country in east Africa that lies on the equator. Kenya is home to more than 40 wildlife parks and reserves. 16 Liberia Africa’s oldest republic which was founded by freed American and Haitian slaves. Liberia had a long civil war in the 1990s which killed about 250,000 people. The war left the country in ruins with almost no infrastructure. 17 Nigeria A west African nation that is rich with oil resources. Nigeria is a democratic republic, although it is constantly threatened by corruption and fighting. Nigeria has the highest population in Africa. 18 Rwanda Rwanda is a small land-locked country in the center of Africa Rwanda is known for its brutal civil war which killed over 800,000 people 19 Somalia A country on the eastern horn-shaped part of Africa. A civil war and the collapse of the government has lead to a significant problem with piracy in the waters off Somalia’s coastline. 20 South Africa A country located at the southern tip of Africa. A policy of racial segregation called Apartheid, existed from the 1940s-1990s.

South Africa has more than 5.6 million people living with AIDS, more than any other country in the world. Political oppression and human rights violations (particularly towards women) are common. 21 Sudan A country in North Africa that borders the Red Sea Two civil wars, ethnic conflicts in Darfur and a clash with the country of Chad have resulted in almost constant fighting since The government and militia have both been accused of attacking civilians and aid workers. 22 South Sudan South Sudan became an independent nation in 2011 when it split from Sudan The long history of war has led to many relocated people and severe problems with the country’s infrastructure. Many human rights violations have been committed by the government and censorship is common. 23 Imperialism Imperialism means creating an empire, expanding into the neighboring regions and expanding power. Imperialism, on the other hand is described where a foreign government governs a territory without significant settlement. 24 Colonialism Building and maintaining colonies in one territory by the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically. When a country defeats and rules over other regions.

It means using the resources of the conquered country for the benefit of the conqueror 25 Tribalism A strong sense of identifying with and being loyal to one's tribe, group Tribalism involves the possession of a strong cultural or ethnic identity that separates one member of a group from the members of another group 26 Ethnicity Someone's cultural background or where they came from Ethnic groups in Africa number in the hundreds each generally having its own language (or dialect of a language) and culture 27 Diversity The condition of having many different elements; variety Africa is home to many different nations, people, languages, religions and environments. 28 Animist The belief that all things in nature have souls. An ethnic religion, mostly practiced by tribes and small groups of people in rural areas.

29 Nationalism Nationalism is defined as being devoted to your country, or the feeling that nations should act independently instead of working together In the early 20 th century, the Pan-Africanist movement tried to unite Africans and overcome ethnicity by stressing the similarities and connections among all Africans 30 Nation Building The process of building or forming a national identity using the power of the state The efforts of newly-independent nations, to reshape territories that had been carved out by colonial powers without regard to ethnic, religious, or other boundaries. 31 Child Soldiers The use of children to take direct part in warfare. An estimate in 2004 said that up to 100,000 children participated in combat roles in Africa 32 Civil War A war where both sides are from the same nation. Ethnic conflicts have led to civil war in many African countries. 33 Genocide The killing or attempted killing of an entire people belonging to the same race, religion or nation One of the worst examples of genocide was the Rwandan conflict between the Tutsi and Hutu.

Over 800,000 were killed (mostly Tutsis) 34 Hutu and Tutsi The ethnic tribes involved in the Rwandan genocide. the Hutu-Tutsi conflict originated from class warfare, with the Tutsis thought to have greater wealth and social status, because they were treated more favorably by the Dutch Colonists. 35 Military DictatorshipA government run by the military Some African examples include: Nigeria, Chad, The Republic of Congo, Sudan and Somolia. 36 Darfur An area of Sudan where approximately 400,000 people have been killed by genocide. The genocide is racial-based, because the Muslim Arab Sudanese are killing the Muslim Black Sudanese, by way of the Arab militia (known as the Janjaweed) and the Sudanese Army. 37 Separatism A state of, or the support of political, religious, or racial separation Black separatism is a movement to create separate a society for people of African descent in societies historically dominated by whites An example of the separatist movement is South Sudan.

38 Apartheid A political system where people are clearly divided based on race, gender, class or other such factors The National Party governments of South Africa, the ruling party from 1948 to 1994 limited the rights of the majority black inhabitants. White supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule were maintained. 39 Nelson Mandela a South African anti-apartheid activist, revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa. Received international recognition for his anti-colonial and anti-apartheid positions, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. 40 Extremism Belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable Violent terrorist groups operate in Mali, Nigeria and other African countries 41 Failed State A state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a ruling government Following the outbreak of the civil war and the collapse of the central government, Somalia became a failed state. 42 Blood Diamonds A diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance a revolution, invading army's war efforts, or a warlord’s activity.

Examples of conflicts financed by blood diamonds include: Angola, Liberia and Sierra Leone, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe 43 Renewable and Non-renewable Natural Resources Natural resources are materials found in a natural environment that can be used in some way. Renewable resources can be replaced in a relatively short time span, while non- renewable resources require many hundreds of years to regenerate. Natural resources give a country geopolitical power. 44 Scarcity (Scarce)Not enough of something. Africa has a scarcity of water to use for drinking and growing plants. 45 Abundance (Abundant)A lot of something. Even when farmers grow abundant crops, sometimes they go to waste because it is too hard to transport them. 46 Cash Crops Farm (agricultural) crops that are produced to sell to others. Planting decisions may be based on the available markets or prices for the crops. Examples of cash crops in Africa include: Coffee, tea, cotton, cocoa, fruit and rubber. 47 Subsistence Farming Farm crops that are grown solely to feed the farmers and their families. Planting decisions are made based on what the family will need in the coming year.

Examples of subsistence crops include: rice, wheat, millet, sorghum, cassava, and vegetables. 48 Infrastructure The structures needed to run a society or business. Examples of infrastructure include: roads, railways, telephone and computer networks, access to electricity and water. 49 Illegal Trading Trading ivory or other parts of African wildlife is illegal, because it has endangered animal populations. Some examples of illegal trade are: Elephant ivory, tiger skins and bones, and rhinoceros horns 50 Population GrowthThe change in population over time Africa’s population is growing rapidly. Half of all the persons born in the world from now until 2050 will be Africans 51 Life Expectancy The average length of life for a particular country. The life expectancy of Africans has dropped by 15 years within the past twenty years because of the spread of Aids, and the effect of continuing wars and poverty. 52 HIV/AIDS A disease of the immune system which is spread by sexual contact or from mother to child. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world most effected by AIDS.

About 5% of the adult population is infected and it is believed to be the cause of 10% of all deaths in children 53 MalariaA mosquito borne infectious disease. A child in Africa dies about once every minute from malaria. 54 Cholera An infection of the small intestine caused by drinking unclean water or eating food that has been contaminated. The risk of cholera is highest in areas where basic infrastructure is not available, as well as in camps for internally displaced population or refugees, where minimum requirements of clean water and sanitation are not met. 55 Authoritarian A government where decisions are made by one person or a very small group of people. The revolutions of the Arab Spring were prompted by reaction to extreme authoritarian governments. Some examples of authoritarian governments in the Middle East include: Iran (a theocracy) Syria (a presidential republic) Yemen (a republic) 56 Democratic Government When the government representatives are elected by the people. The U.S. is an example of a democratic government. 57 Political Freedom Freedom from oppression, or pressure. The ability to take political action to vote, run for office or participate in government.

Many of the democratic gains have been erased by corrupt politicians who want to hold on to power at any cost 58 Corruption Evil, decay and dishonesty, particularly in governments. Corruption is destroying many African countries while keeping the majority of its people poor 59 Ethnic ConflictA war between ethnic groups An example would be the Rwandan war 60 OPEC An international organization of oil exporting countries. Member nations include: Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela Controls 41% of the world’s crude oil and 15% of its natural gas 61 Cartel A formal agreement among competing firms to control industry output, market shares, price or other issues. The purpose is to increase individual members’ profits by reducing competition. OPEC is an example of a cartel, formed to control profits on oil and natural gas. 62 Choke Point A chokepoint is a strategic passage or canal which could be closed or blocked to stop sea traffic. Oil tankers face a number of risks at chokepoints, ranging from heavy traffic to piracy. Any disruption can lead to instability in oil prices. What countries border the Red Sea?

| Reference.com What countries border the Red Sea? A: Quick Answer Saudi Arabia and Yemen border the Red Sea on the east while Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Egypt border it on the west. Egypt also borders the Red Sea on the north along with Israel and Jordan. Full Answer Situated between Africa and Asia, the Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean. The Red Sea connects to the Gulf of Aden to the south via the Bab el Mandeb (strait), and it connects to the Mediterranean Sea to the north via the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal. Northern sea access is also possible from Middle Eastern countries by traveling through the Gulf of Aqaba (or Gulf of Eilat). The Red Sea measures approximately 190 miles wide at its widest point, and it's about 1,200 miles long. Its estimated average depth is 1,640 feet, according to WorldAtlas, and it has a maximum depth of 8,200 feet. Waters close to the shoreline are generally less than 330 feet deep. The Red Sea region enjoys hot, sunny days with little rainfall.

The combination of heat and little rainfall coupled with evaporation result in high salinity levels. With salinity levels of 3.6 to 3.8 percent, the Red Sea claims its place as one of the most saline bodies of water on Earth. Deep Sea Mining the Next Frontier for Sudan and Saudi Arabia? | Green Prophet Deep Sea Mining the Next Frontier for Sudan and Saudi Arabia? Posted on by Linda Pappagallo in Business , Travel with 2 Comments Deep sea mining for minerals is the next frontier for the extractive industry, and the Red Sea risks becoming a victim Sudan and Saudi Arabia are targeting to start deep-water mining of a Red Sea basin, rich in zinc, copper, silver and gold, by 2014. This decision revives from a mutual agreement signed in 1974 to exploit the Red Sea’s resources, which at the time failed to materialize as global ore prices dropped in the early 1980s. Recent hikes in ore prices and high demand from emerging economies have renewed interest in exploiting deep-sea metal deposits .

In 2010, Manafa International Trade Company of Saudi Arabia and its joint venture partner Diamond Fields International Ltd of Canada received a license from the joint Saudi–Sudanese Red Sea Commission to explore hydro-thermal basins , Atlantis II, some 2,000 meters below sea level in an area 115 kilometers (71 miles) west of Jeddah. Turns out there are billions-worth of minerals to be culled from the sea. What about the dolphins, coral reefs and fish? A paper published in March 2011 by the Kiel Institute for World Economy confirmed the feasibility of such a project, and estimated the total value of known seabed minerals in the Red Sea basins to amount up to US$8.21 billion. As usual, the justifications for such a project highlight the benefits deep sea mining will bring to the Saudi Arabian and Sudanese economy, while failing to highlight the environmental impact (disaster) this would have on the Red Sea and its ecosystems.

The Red Sea is suffering innumerable environmental disasters from increasing sea temperatures , to oils spills , to decimating endangered species sometimes through unnecessary aggressive cultural practices , to waste disposal , to exorbitant construction ideas and monster bridges – deep sea mining would be an additional destructive practice. However, Sudan’s mine minister Kamal Abdel Latif sees this project as a necessary investment to replace Khartoum “ lost oil revenues”, referring to Sudan’s attempt at trying to boost exports of gold and other non-petroleum products after the separation of South Sudan left Khartoum without three-quarters of its crude oil production. The Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ali Al-Naimi, brings forward the determination of the Saudi government to diversify its economy and provide Saudi Arabia with other sources of revenue when its petroleum reserves are depleted. Furthermore, the uneven distribution of mineral resources across the globe is pushing countries, like the Saudi kingdom, to seek independent sources of minerals.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, possesses more than 50% of the world’s cobalt reserves; about 30% of the world’s copper reserves are located in Chile; and about 50% of the world’s manganese reserves are shared by Ukraine and South Africa, China controls over 95% of the world’s extractable rare earth metals. Diamond Fields International’s chairman and director, Wayne Malouf believes the mine will bring more than direct profits for both countries. Malouf envisions employing Sudanese scientists trained in terrestrial geology and “training them up” to work in the marine basin. The University of King Abdulaziz, in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, runs a marine geology programme in partnership with the Kiel Institute, to train scientists. Malouf said he would like to work with the university to create a training programme for Saudi and Sudanese scientists and workers. However there are severe transparency issues regarding the environmental impact of such a project. Since the 2011 paper was written, Proelss, co-author of the paper, says that there is no evidence the commission has monitored the Red Sea environment in a publicly accountable manner.

Why deep sea mining in the Red Sea is not sustainable: The subsequent 2012 Atlantis II feasibility study , is a commendable 190 page effort at delineating a “sustainable deep sea mining” attitude towards the proposed project. However, given deep sea mining is a relatively new subject, they admit that scientific data and research on the specific environmental impacts of such activities has been very limited and should be completed before the project is realized. Nevertheless, through theory and observational science, the Environmental impact assessment in the feasibility study clearly highlights the potential dangers of this type of mining. Justifying that deep sea mining is “more environmentally friendly” compared to land based mining is a misleading argument – the scientific proof is missing, and theory says otherwise. First we must remember that biological and chemical processes in water mediums behave in very different ways compared to in air or on land. Any disruption of the bio-chemical, physical and chemosynthetic processes in oceans can result in severe unintended consequences far away from the mining location simply because of water currents and because, unlike on land, anthropogenic impacts in water are harder – if not impossible – to control.

Additionally, the Red Sea is 7 to 8 times more saline than normal seawater, so any acidic fluids (waste water) from the chemical extractive processes of metalliferous ores can cause severe impacts on sea water acidity. Second, precisely because relatively little is known about the bio-chemical and physical processes that maintain the myriad of ocean’s ecosystems healthy – we should adopt a precautionary attitude towards disrupting such systems. A very brief and simplified overview of the possible environmental impacts of the Atlantis II project on the sea surface, the water column and the sea bed, bring to light the challenges that such projects will face. First the transport vessel and processing platforms disturb the sea surface and water column by noises, vibrations and emission of fuels and processing waste materials and liquids, toxic heavy metal liquids are sometimes used to process such minerals (such as mercury). Second, the water column is affected by discharges and plumes that might occur during the transport of nodules and sediments to the surface. Discharges also refer to the exchange of oligotrophic, low nutrient, deep-sea water and sediments with other water zones, as the materials are transported to the surface.

This would radically alter the chemical and biological processes across the water column, severely affecting several micro-ecosystems which are extremely sensitive to changes – this would then create a series of chain reactions affecting food systems and trophic levels of benthic communities. Finally sediment plumes and dusts created by the collector machinery on the sea floor can transport benthic communities and sediments over far distances due to the water currents, having significant impacts on benthic communities and ecosystem processes in other areas of the sea. It does not take a scientist to realize and highlight just how severely disrupting such processes in the Red Sea could be. Of course scientific evidence is needed, however in the meantime deep sea mining in the Red Sea should not begin. Images of Deep sea mining from “Nautilus minerals” Red Sea island transfer revives Egypt-Sudan border dispute Red Sea island transfer revives Egypt-Sudan border dispute Author: Ayah Aman Posted May 5, 2016 CAIRO — The maritime border demarcation agreement under which Egypt ceded the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia has brought back to the surface the dispute between Egypt and Sudan over the Halayeb and Shalateen triangle .

While Khartoum insists on international arbitration or peaceful negotiations to decide the fate of this disputed region along Egypt’s southern border, Cairo refuses to discuss the issue. Summary ⎙ Print Hot on the heels of Egypt's recent ceding of Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, the country's row with Sudan over the Halayeb and Shalateen triangle has resurfaced. Author Ayah Aman Posted May 5, 2016 TranslatorSami-Joe Abboud On April 17, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry issued a press release in which it called for direct negotiations with Egypt in a bid to resolve the dispute over the region, similarly to what happened with Saudi Arabia, or for international arbitration, as provided for in international law, similarly to how Egypt regained the town of Taba from Israel in 1989. The press release, which followed numerous unsuccessful diplomatic attempts aimed at starting negotiations with Cairo, emphasized that the agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia regarding the maritime border also affects Sudan given its connection with the two regions of Halayeb and Shalateen and the surrounding shores.

“The Sudanese Foreign Ministry is closely following up on this agreement and its consequences to make sure it does not prejudice the sovereign, historical and legal rights of Sudan in Halayeb,” read the statement. In response to the Sudanese request, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued an extremely brief statement April 18 saying, “Halayeb and Shalateen are Egyptian territories subject to Egyptian sovereignty, and Egypt does not have additional comment on the Sudanese Foreign Ministry’s statement.” A diplomatic official working on the African dossier at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry told Al-Monitor, “Egypt categorically refuses to discuss the issue or to go for international arbitration, and it has made this clear to Sudan during several high-level and diplomatic meetings.” The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “There should be a political settlement to this issue, which is constituting a major obstacle to Egyptian-Sudanese relations.” He noted that the Sudanese political administration is using the dispute over the sovereignty of Halayeb “to place pressure on Cairo regarding thorny issues.

Chief among these is the Nile water and the Renaissance Dam crisis with Ethiopia.” He added, “The negotiations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over the maritime border demarcation agreement did not address the Halayeb shores of the Red Sea, and the issue was not raised in any of the official meetings.” Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir had asked Saudi Arabia in October 2015 to take on the role of mediator between his country and Egypt to put an end to the conflict between the two countries over the Halayeb border triangle. His request came after Riyadh played a role in ending the crisis of the Sudanese miners detained in Egypt last year. The dispute over the Halayeb region dates back to 1902, when the administrative border between Egypt and Sudan set by the British differed slightly from the border set by the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium in 1899. According to the 1899 boundary agreement, the 22nd parallel marked Egypt’s southern border, which indicates that the Halayeb region falls under Egyptian sovereignty.

However, following Sudan's independence and separation from Egypt in 1956, the dispute arose over Egypt and Sudan’s inclusion of the Halayeb area within their administrative borders. This led Sudan to file a complaint against Egypt with the United Nations in 1958. Subsequently, Egyptian forces entered the Halayeb region in 1995 following the assassination attempt on President Hosni Mubarak as Sudan was accused of involvement. Sudanese presidential assistant Ibrahim Hamid told Al-Monitor, “We are constantly seeking to prevent the border dispute from affecting our relationship with Egypt. We gave away Sudanese territory in the city of Halfa, which was completely submerged for the sake of the High Dam construction and the Egyptian people’s interests.” “There is an African agreement whereby borders inherited from the colonial power should be respected in accordance with international treaties and agreements,” Hamid explained.

“According to the borders left by colonialism and signed by Britain and Egypt, the Halayeb region falls within the borders of Sudan,” he added, noting, “We have legal and historical documents signed by Britain and Egypt, and we have included these documents in the complaint filed with the Security Council.” Observers of the Egyptian-Sudanese relations believe that the dispute over Halayeb and Shalateen has always been politically used in order to place pressure on Egypt. However, the dispute has never hampered cooperation between the two countries on other issues. Hani Raslan, Head of the Sudan and Nile Basin Studies at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, “The dispute over the Halayeb region has not impeded the signing of important agreements with Sudan, knowing that the High Dam Convention was signed at a time when Sudan was filing a complaint against Egypt near the UN because of Halayeb.” Raslan added, “Ever since Bashir's Islamist regime rose to power, it has been using the Halayeb issue politically against Egypt, as it resorts to domestic mobilization by creating a foreign enemy and portraying Egypt as a rival and sometimes an enemy.

The Sudanese now feel that Egypt is treating their country condescendingly." “The Sudanese administration is now using the dispute over Halayeb as a pretext to justify an alliance with Ethiopia against Egyptian interests in the Nile River water. Sudan is taking pro-Ethiopia positions in the construction of dams that pose a threat to Egypt's water security,” Raslan further commented. He also ruled out the potential issuance of a Security Council resolution in favor of Sudan, saying, “Sudan is now an internationally isolated state due to US sanctions. In order for it to pass this resolution, it must have a strong international policy to be able to mobilize and convince the Security Council to consider this issue.” The Halayeb issue remains a fundamental reason behind the chill in Egyptian-Sudanese relations and a direct threat to Egyptian national security, despite all of Cairo’s attempts to seek rapprochement with and give special attention to Sudan, which is a priority on the Egyptian foreign policy agenda. Read More: Red Sea | Article about Red Sea by The Free Dictionary Red Sea | Article about Red Sea by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Acronyms , Wikipedia .

Red Sea, ancient Sinus Arabicus or Erythraean Sea, narrow sea, c.170,000 sq mi (440,300 sq km), c.1,450 mi (2,330 km) long and up to 225 mi (362 km) wide, between Africa (Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea) and the Arabian peninsula (Saudi Arabia and Yemen); a part of the Great Rift Valley Great Rift Valley, geological fault system of SW Asia and E Africa. It extends c.3,000 mi (4,830 km) from N Syria to central Mozambique. The northernmost extension runs S through Syria and Lebanon, the Jordan valley, the Dead Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba. ..... Click the link for more information. . The Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez are the sea's northern arms; between them is the Sinai peninsula.

The Red Sea is linked with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea by the straits of Bab el Mandeb Bab el Mandeb [Arab.,= gate of tears], strait, 17 mi (27 km) wide, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and separating the Arabian peninsula from E Africa. It is an important passage on the Indian Ocean–Mediterranean Sea shipping route via the Suez Canal. ..... Click the link for more information. . The flat coastal plains of the Red Sea slope gradually to the submarine central trough, more than 7,000 ft (2,134 m) deep. The sea is dotted with islands (the largest group is the Dahlak Archipelago Dahlak Archipelago , island group, Eritrea, in the Red Sea off Massawa. There are two large, inhabited islands and more than 200 small, largely uninhabited islands. The islands are flat, barren, and mainly of coral origin. ..... Click the link for more information. in the southwest) and with dangerous coral reefs.

It is surrounded by exceedingly hot and dry deserts and steppes; the summer water temperature exceeds 85&degF; (29&degC;), and the water has a high salt content. The Red Sea was an important trade route in antiquity. Its importance declined with the discovery of an all-water route around Africa in 1498. The opening of the Suez Canal Suez Canal, Arab. Qanat as Suways, waterway of Egypt extending from Port Said to Port Tawfiq (near Suez) and connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez and thence with the Red Sea. The canal is somewhat more than 100 mi (160 km) long. ..... Click the link for more information. in 1869 made the Red Sea one of the chief shipping routes connecting Europe with East Asia and Australia. The closing of the canal after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, the building of pipelines to the Mediterranean Sea, and the construction of supertankers too large for the canal diminished the sea's importance as a commercial artery, especially for petroleum.

In 1975, however, the canal was reopened and enlarged, and traffic through the sea increased. Suez, Egypt; Elat, Israel; Jidda, Saudi Arabia; Hodeida, Yemen; Massawa, Eritrea; and Port Sudan, Sudan, are the main ports on the Red Sea and its northern arms. Red Sea (the name probably derived from the presence of large numbers of the algae Frishodesmium erythraeum, which become reddish in color at a certain period), an inland sea of the Indian Ocean, between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. It washes the shores of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the Yemen Arab Republic. In the north the Suez Canal connects it with the Mediterranean Sea; in the south the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb connects it with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. Length, 1,932 km; maximum width, 305 km; area, 450,000 sq km; water volume, 251,000 cu km.

The shores of the Red Sea do not have many indentations; their outline was basically determined by fault tectonics and for virtually their entire length the eastern and western coasts parallel each other. In the northern part of the sea are the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, which are divided by the Sinai Peninsula. There are few islands in the north, but south of 17°N lat. they form numerous groups. The largest group is the Dahlak Archipelago in the southwestern part of the sea. In the relief of the sea floor the outstanding features are the coastal shoal (up to 200 m deep), which is broadest in the southern part of the sea and has numerous coral and native islands; the main trough, a narrow basin that occupies the greater part of the sea floor and has an average depth of 1,000 m; and the axial trough, a narrow, deep trench that seems to cut into the main trough and has a maximum depth of 2,811 m.

In a geotectonic sense the basin of the Red Sea (main trough) is a rift, genetically related to the system of rifts of the Gulf of Aden and the rift valleys of East Africa. Further to the north this system continues in the rifts of the Gulf of Aqaba, the Jordan valley, and the basin of the Dead Sea. Beneath most of the sea floor there is a “granitic” crystalline basement overlain by a layer of limestones and evaporites from 1 to 2–4 km thick. Loose or weakly consolidated sediments, primarily of carbonate, are found on top of this layer. The granites are not present under the axial trough, and there the bottom is composed of basic rock, while the sedimentary layer is cemented by iron oxides and oxides of nonferrous metals (Zn, Cu, and Pb) that separated out from deep-lying brine whose points of discharge were recently discovered in several basins of the axial trough. The temperature of these springs reaches 62°C and salinity is up to 280 parts per thousand (‰).

It appears that the discharge of these hot and heavily salt-saturated waters is connected to abyssal fractures that are expressed in the relief in the form of the axial trough. The climate is a monsoon climate, but it is distinguished by great dryness because of the sea’s position between the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. Between October and April, north of 20°N lat. north-northwest winds prevail, which give way south of this to south-southeast winds. Between May and September north-northwest winds prevail over the entire area of the sea. The mean January temperature ranges from 15.5°C in the north to 27°C in the south; the mean temperature for August ranges from 27°C in the north to 32°C in the south. Precipitation falls primarily in the winter (from 28 mm in the north to 217 mm in the south). Dust clouds and mirages are characteristic of the Red Sea. The surface currents are seasonal in nature. In the southern part of the sea between November and March the current moves north-northwest along the shore of the Arabian Peninsula at a velocity of 2 km per hr.

Between June and September a south-southeast current prevails. Along the eastern shore of the northern part of the sea a north-northwest countercurrent (velocity of about 2 km per hr) is observed; it compensates for waters moving south. In May, April, and October, transition currents from winter to summer currents, and vice versa, are observed. The mean water temperature on the surface in February ranges from 18°C in the north to 26.5°C in the south; the corresponding figures for August are 27°C and 32°C. The small inflow of fresh water and intensive evaporation from the surface of the sea (a layer of water measuring 3.5 m a year) cause a great increase in its salinity, which is more than 41.5‰ (the greatest of any sea on earth) near the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, 40.5-41.0‰in the northern part of the sea, and 38.0—39.0‰ in the south. The water density is 1,028 in the north and 1,024 in the south.

Tides are primarily semidiurnal: in Suez Bay their magnitude is 1.6 m, and in the open part of the sea it is 0.6 m. Transparency is about 50 m. The color of the water is mainly bluish green, but near the reefs the water sometimes takes on a milky tint as a result of the large number of suspended particles of coral sand. Bottom waters form in the northern part during the period of winter cooling, when intensive vertical circulation develops (the temperature of bottom waters is up to 21.7°C and salinity is 40.5-42.3‰). The saline bottom waters of the Red Sea pass into the ocean through the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb and begin the formation of the ocean’s bottom waters. On the average the discharge of Red Sea bottom waters into the Indian Ocean is 300,000-400,000 cu m per sec. A surface current enters the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden at an average velocity of 3.7-4.6 km per hr.

The influx of water from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea averages about 500,000 cu m per sec. Water exchange through the Suez Canal is insignificant. The sea is qualitatively poor in plants but quite rich and varied in animal life (dolphins, dugongs, giant sea turtles, and more than 400 species of fish). The Red Sea is very important for maritime traffic between the countries of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The principal ports are Suez (Arab Republic of Egypt), Port Sudan (Sudan), Jiddah (Saudi Arabia), Massaua (Ethiopia), and Al-Hudaydah (Yemen Arab Republic). A. M. M 11/01/2011, on the red sea between Sudan and Saudi Arabia - The only way is up. Van Zuid Afrika naar Nederland in een Mitsubishi L300 The only way is up. Van Zuid Afrika naar Nederland in een Mitsubishi L300 11/01/2011, on the red sea between Sudan and Saudi Arabia Geplaatst 12 jan.

2011 14:09 door joep hufman C’est ca. We have left Africa behind us and are heading for the middle east. It’s not the end of our little trip but the biggest part lies behind us. Good bye Africa and hello world. What happend in our last week Africa: Short: Karima, Port Sudan, Diving, Suakin More full: When we woke up in Altbarra Rik Seemed to be recovered from his illness, we could head off again! We went straight for Karima, a small town along the Nile that is famous for its date palms and a mountain; Jebel Barkal. The Kushites thought the mountain was holy so they built a few temples around it. Of course the Sudanese have not places any fences around them, so we could just park Latifa at the entrance of the main temple and next to the pyramids, as you can see on the pictures. The guy who sold the tickets even used one of the old statues as a place to sign the tickets. Latifa could stand next to the ancient monuments, but we could not take her with us on Jebel Barkal.

We could understand why some one would think of this as a holy place; it’s the only mountain for miles and the view is great! After watching the sunset from Jebel Barkal we went for a very basic hotel in Karima, our aim was to find a mechanic for Latifa because she was making strange sounds when she wasn’t in gear… The guy of the hotel showed us were to go the next day, we arrived in a neat and tidy workshop (for African standards) where the boss listened to Latifa and made clear that we sould put her above a big pit. Within three hours his workman had taken out the gearbox and replaced one of the bearings, we could go for Merowe. To get to Merowe, a set of Kushite pyramids, we had to go back to Altbarra and than 100k back to Kharthum. Despite the gearbox delay we managed to arrive there an hour before sunset. Once again the scenery was beautiful. There is one drawback, in 1830 an Italian guy thought that there would be treasures in the pyramids, so he smashed most of the to pieces and the ones that are still standing have been decapitated by him.

Here the Sudanese have placed fences so we could not place Latifa next to them. After camping a few hundred meters from the pyramids we headed for Port Sudan, a 600k journey, but because of the good condition of the roads we could easely reach it befor dark. The next day we could walk around a bit and look for a place to dive, Mohammed (of Kharthum) had given us a number of someone who knew more about it. It turned out that there was a Dutch guy who gave dive lessons over there. Quite convenient. We went diving the next day. The dive was fun, but not really special. The weather was quite rough so the coral was all covered in dust and as a bonus everyone on the trip got seasick. We got to see a barracuda though. Our final day in Africa was about arranging everything to leave Sudan and get on the ferry to Jeddah. Joep found a bit of time to visit ancient Suakin. A port town that has fallen to ruins because Port Sudan took over all its functions. Quite nice to walk around there. Especially since you get to share it with a few kites and nobody else.

In the evening the time of goodbye had come, and it took a long while. The boat was scheduled to leave at 17.00 but it left at 21.00, no problem. Once the ship was gone we had a descent meal and we could get a bit of sleep. We are now waiting to see the Middle East, and the entire ship is wondering if Jope is going to blow them up. At least, that is how everyone is looking at him. More on Saudi Arabia next time. Cheers! Saudi-Sudan ferry service resumes | Arab News Saudi-Sudan ferry service resumes JEDDAH: Galal Fakar | Published — Friday 1 February 2013 Passenger ferry services between Saudi Arabia and Sudan are back to normal following months in hiatus. People familiar with the maritime transportation industry in Jeddah confirmed late yesterday that after delays due to ship maintenance requirements operations between the two nations have resumed. “One of the first ferry boats left Jeddah port on Thursday for Sudan’s Sawakein port with 300 passengers on board,” said Nama seaport transportation official Salah Oraibi.

Oraibi said the ferry service between Sawakein and Jeddah will eventually become steady, and reach 24 trips per month with three weekly trips averaging 20,000 passengers. “The resumption of maritime services between the two countries comes at a time when the Umrah season is in full swing as more and more pilgrims travel by sea to Jeddah. In addition, the ships transport Sudanese laborers to the Kingdom,” said Oraibi. Capt. Mohammed Aboud Babidan, member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Committee for Navy Transportation, said that passenger sea movements between the Kingdom’s Red Sea ports and neighboring countries like Egypt and Sudan witnessed a sharp decline of more than 80 percent over a 10-year period. The decline was due to a number of ships sinking in the Red Sea.

Question: Which sea lies between Saudi Arabia and the Sudan?
Answer: Red Sea